Omnibus Reports Just a game? Understanding the existing and future esports market in Australia
Introduction This report investigates esports, analysing a market with estimated global revenue of US$745 million and an audience of 385 million this year (2017)*. And these figures are forecast to grow by 2020, it is estimated that esports will generate more than US$1 billion in global revenue and nearly double its audience to 600 million.* This esports Australia report examines who currently watches esports, what they are watching and where, and also if and how they plan to watch esports again. It also considers the prospective market those who haven t watched esports before, but are interested in doing so in the future. For this report, YouGov ran a Re-contact survey in order to fully understand attitudes towards this market. For the purposes of this report, the definition of esports is as follows; esports are organised, multiplayer video game competitions, typically between professional players (oneon-one or in teams), which can be staged in front of a live audience and streamed online or broadcast on TV. Examples of these video games include League of Legends, Counter-Strike and FIFA. This definition was provided to respondents before they took the Re-contact survey. Key findings: Over four in 10 are aware of esports in Australia. A third of adults who are aware of esports have watched them. Awareness of esports is not exceptional, how it is also not exceptionally low. Over half of those who have seen esports watch it on at least a monthly basis. 21% of all adults are interested in watching esports in the future. *Source: Newzoo
Use picture to take up dark grey space The state of esports in Australia
Over four in 10 adults are aware of esports in Australia Aware Unaware 44% 56% 69% 63% 51% 44% 58% 20% 29% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ Base: All AUS adults (1,032) Q1_es. Before taking this survey, had you heard of esports?
Over a third of those who are aware have watched esports 34% Have watched esports This is higher among younger people and males, as well as heavy gamers*, though the gender divide is less pronounced 50% 49% 31% 21% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ 65% *defined as hardcore and keen gamers (of the AU population) Base: All AUS adults aware of esports (450) Q2a_es. Have you EVER watched esports? 7% 26% 39%
And more than a half of those who have seen esports watch it on at least a monthly basis At least once a week At least once a month 31% 57% 65% of males watch at least monthly At least once every 3 months At least once every 6 months At least once a year Less often than once a year Don't know/ can't recall 26% 13% 47% of 18-24s watch at least monthly 4% 8% 14% Base: All AUS adults who have watched esports before (155) Q2b_es. How often do you watch esports? (Please select the option that best applies) 3% 64% of heavy gamers watch at least monthly
Use picture to take up dark grey space Awareness of esports is relatively low
Australia lags behind some countries for awareness Rank Country Awareness 1 China* 77% 2 Singapore* 55% 3 Germany 44% 4 Australia 44% 5 US 41% 6 UK 35% *online rep Base: All adults China (1,009), Singapore (1,004), Germany (2,052), Australia (1,032), US (2,289), UK (2,087) Q1_es. Before taking this survey, had you heard of esports?
Interest is still relatively low in Australia if they haven t watched before Interest in watching 76% 78% 79% 72% 66% 57% 44% 39% 21% 18% 16% 8% China* Singapore* Australia US Germany UK All Watched before *online rep Base: All adults / All adults who have watched esports before China (1,009/786), Singapore (1,004/251), Australia (1,032/137), US (2,289/231), Germany (2,052/219), UK (2,087/130) Q3a_es. How interested, if at all, are you in watching esports at some point in the future?
Use picture to take up dark grey space Who to target
Be aware that 21% of all adults are interested in watching esports in the future 65% 36% 41% 26% 16% 4% 21% 14% 29% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ 9% of those who have never watched esports before but would be interested in doing so in the future a core group of viewers Base: All AUS adults (1032) Q3a_es. How interested, if at all, are you in watching esports at some point in the future?
Current esports watchers are 12% of those who have watched esports before are interested in watching it again Gender and age 18-24 25-34 23% 27% 6% 18 % 35-44 45-54 8% 13% 55+ 1% Video gaming Hardcore gamer Keen gamer 33% 37% 69% heavy gamers Average gamer Occasional gamer Not much of a gamer Not a gamer at all 2% 1% 17% 12% 28% medium gamers Base: All AUS adults who have watched esports before and are interested in watching again (122) Source: YouGov Profiles
And those interested in watching esport are 9% of those who have never watched esports before are interested in doing so in the future Gender and age 8% 11% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+ 4% 8% 13% 14% 13% Video gaming Hardcore gamer Keen gamer Average gamer Occasional gamer Not much of a gamer Not a gamer at all 8% 13% 25% 27% 19% 9% 21% heavy gamers 52% medium gamers Region 9% 9% 11% 8% 11% 12% 11% 11% 9% 2% 0% Base: All AUS adults who have not watched esports before, but are interested in watching in the future (96) Source: YouGov Profiles
Summary Over four in 10 are aware of esports in Australia. A third of adults who are aware of esports have watched them. Awareness of esports is not exceptional, how it is also not exceptionally low. Over half of those who have seen esports watch it on at least a monthly basis. 21% of all adults are interested in watching esports in the future.
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